A general chronological history of France beginning before the reign of King Pharamond, and ending with the reign of King Henry the Fourth, containing both the civil and the ecclesiastical transactions of that kingdom / by the sieur De Mezeray ... ; translated by John Bulteel ...

Meroveus, or Merovee, King III.

From whom the Kings of the First Race, have taken the Name of Merovignians.

POPE, LEO I. The 10th of May, 440. S. 21 years, 3. in the following Reign.

[Year of our Lord 448] ACCording to most Authors, who were nearest to these times, he was not Son to Clodion, but only of his Kindred. It is said, that his Mother ba∣thing her self on the Sea-side, a Sea-Bull came out of the Water, and made her Pregnant with this Prince. This Fable seems to be ground∣ed upon the Name, because Mer-veich signifies a Sea-Calfe.

Now whether he were only Tutor to Clodions Children, or otherwise, the French Elected him for their King or General Commander. This was in the City of Amiens.

* 1.1 The Children of Clodion having been deprived of the paternal Succession, their Mother carried them beyond the Rhine: where it seems they disputed amongst them∣selves, about that part of their Succession; but in time that came likewise to Mero∣veus, we know not how.

After Attilla, King of the Huns, who caused himself to be named the Scourge of GOD, had pillaged all the Provinces of the Empire in the East, and had killed his Brother Bleda, to invade his Kingdom: he would likewise needs plunder those of the West; He crossed the Panonias and Germany, entred into Gaule with 500000 Combatants, under pretence of going to attaque the Visigoths, in Aquitain; and after he had sacked and burnt Mets, Triers, Tongres, Arras, and all those Cities that lay in his March, he passed along by Paris, and came and besieged Orleans: The Town had already capitulated, and part of his Forces were entred, when Aetius General of the Romans, Meroveus King of the French, and Theodoric King of the Visigoths, having joyned their Armies together, charged them unawares, and drove them thence, paving all the Streets with their slain.

[Year of our Lord 448] A little while afterwards they gave him Battle, in Campis Catalaunicis, which is interpreted the Plain of Chaalons in Champagne; but some imagine with pro∣bability, that it was in Campis Secalaunicis, in Soulogne near Orleans. Attila lost nigh 200000 Men. Theodoric King of the Visigoths was killed in the Fight, and the next day his Son Thorismond elected King by the Visigoths.

Notwithstanding this infinite loss, Attila had still Men enough left to Retreat to his own Countrey, Aetius having discharged the Visigoths and the French, lest he should be obliged to pursue and make an end of them. The youngest of Clo∣dions Sons had cast himself into the Arms of that Prince who adopted him for his Son, and the other under the protection of Attila: what their Fortune was we

know not; but for Attila, upon his return from another irruption he made into Italy about the year 452. he died in his own Countrey while he was in Bed with a new Spouse.

[Year of our Lord 452] This year 452. is commonly reckoned to be the time of the wonderful birth, or beginning of the City of Venice, in the Adriatick Gulph. It is held that the terror of Attilas For∣ces, after he had taken Aquilea, making all the people of those Countreys flie from thence, some numbers of them got into the Island Rialto, and other Islands adjacent, who fixed their Habitation there, which was the first foundation of that noble State.

[Year of our Lord 454] The Emperour Valentinian caused Aetius to be Massacred, who alone upheld the Em∣pire, shaken and assaulted on all hands. The following year he is slain himself, by the [Year of our Lord 455] friends of that great Captain, and upon the solicitation of Petronius Maximus, whose Wife* 1.2 he had violated. Maximus seizes on the Empire, and Eudoxia his Widdow, whom he Married. The peasure of his Revenge, and his Reign, lasted but three Months: The People stoned him to death, as soon as Genseric, King of the Vandals, whom Eudoxa had called over from Africa to revenge her, was come to the Gates of Rome. But that Barbarian sacked the City, and took the Empress, who was carried into Captivity with her two Daughters, being at the same time both revenged and punished.

From thence followed the utter destruction of the Western Empire, there being no one Head left powerful enough to repair, or indeed prop the ruines of that vast Building: but only divers petit Commanders, who were but the sport of the Barbarians, and who con∣sumed the small Forces they had, by pushing at one another.

* 1.3 So that Meroveus, and afterwards Childeric his Son, had the proper time to ex∣tend their limits. Meroveus took on the one hand all the Germania Prima, or ter∣ritory of Mentz; and on the other the Belgica Secunda, which is named Picardy, a good part of the Second Lyonnoise, named Normandy, and almost all the Isle of France.

He Reigned almost 11 years, and dyed Anno 458. we know nothing either of [Year of our Lord 458] his Age, nor of his Wife, nor his Children, but only that Childeric his Successor was his Son.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Emp. Valentinian III and Marcian, who Marries Pulcheria, Sister to The∣odosia, in August 450. R. Six years, six Months.
• * 1.2

  Emp. Marcian and Maximus, Murtherer of Valentinian, 455. in March▪ Then Majo∣rian R. six years and half.
• * 1.3

  Emp. Stiff Majorian and Leon I. R. 17 years and half.